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Did you know there's an anonymous tip line for illegals?

2008-04-27, 12:39 AM

Last Monday, my doorbell rang right before 7:00am. I was still sleeping. I peaked out the window, and saw about a dozen police in special vests, as well as three men in black suits on the front sidewalk. I got up and looked towards the back window to find more police in vests on the corners of the smaller roads behind my house. The situation looked very serious. Naturally, I was concerned. I've been having problems with my landlord over the last few weeks, and immediately assumed he reported me for trespassing or possibly burglary. As a result, I didn't want to open the door. With the door partially opened but still locked, I asked why they were at my house. They said they were immigration, and needed to check my Visa status. Initially, I refused to give the information to them because I didn't know why they picked my house. I have never heard of immigration showing up at someone's house like this, especially with a special team of officers surrounding the building at such an early hour. Initially, I believed my landlord may have called the police and reported me for a crime, but for whatever reason, the officers were not being completely honest with me. I've been having problems with my landlord lately, so I naturally assumed my landlord did something to cause me trouble. Being a cooperative gaijin, I refused to show my Visa until each person (1) told me why they chose to visit my house at this early hour with a swat team (you know, out of more than a quarter million gaijins in Japan); (2) provided official identification for every single person standing outside of my house. I wanted each individual to state their purpose. I read that you should always make an officer provide ID if he/she requests your gaijin card, and as a result, I decided to take that advice. I just didn't trust the situation. At first, the three men in suits were difficult. Instead of explaining their "real" reason for visiting, they kept saying the same statement, "We are with immigration. We are here to check your Visa." As a result, I kept repeating the same thing, "why are you here? Please provide ID and state your purpose." Finally, I asked if I was the lucky winner of some kind of "gaijin check" lotto. After I said that, they finally spit it out -- someone called an anonymous tip to immigration and reported me as an illegal gaijin, living in Japan at my address, with an expired Visa. Apparently, once an anonymous tip is made, immigration moves quickly with a special team of JP police to capture the violator. They try to visit within 24 hours and as early as possible to catch the criminal at home. Being such a serious offense, immigration brings a special team of police to ensure the criminal does not try to run from immigration or jump out of a back window to escape! As they were explaining this to me, I could not help but laugh because I'm sure my landlord made an anonymous tip to cause trouble. Unfortunately, I didn't have my passport because my Visa was just up for renewal. However, I did have my gaijin card, so immigration called in my information and confirmed my newly issued 3- year Visa. Once they confirmed my Visa, I explained the situation with my landlord, and apologized for being difficult. They also apologized and left without me.

Lesson from this experience --
7-days a week, almost 24 hours a day, you can call a tip line & report illegal foreigners.
If you dislike a gaijin, you can have the person's house surrounded by a swat team within 24 hours, and scare the hell out of them (or get the person deported if he/she illegal).
Being an anonymous tip, you can't be held responsible for making a false report. They do not record the tipster's contact information or name.

So, to return the favor, I called the tip line, and reported my landlord (a gaijin) for employing illegals (Europeans on a tourist Visa) who work for him in exchange for K1 dojo training and a room in a gaijin house. Unfortunately, for him, this information is true, so I didn't lower myself to his level and make a false report.

Writing this down had been therapeutic in a sense. I'm slowly building the courage to file a lawsuit against this landlord. Each time he does something like this, I'm a little closer to meeting with an attorney.

Comment

It's for anonymous tips only of illegal foreigners, as in people are overstayed or don't have a Visa. They move really fast. You'd think the reporting could get out of control. Especially since they send so many people to surround your house.

Going against my true feelings, I went ahead and paid the rent on Friday. The rent was late, and he's been a total ass about it. I told him it would be paid on payday so I don't know why he's causing all this drama. Although it's not paid in full, but it will be in the next few weeks. Hopefully, I get him to pay part of move to Yokohama because I really want to move now.

The door is STILL broken. The glass has not been repaired. Fortunately, it stopped raining, and Japan is a pretty safe country.

My husband and I are going to legal aid tomorrow to file the paperwork with the court. It took a while to figure out the whole legal aid thing with English speakers. Basically, if someone happens to speak English, the person will take your call. Otherwise, you have to pay 5000 yen an hour for translator. I better get my money back.

That's exactly what happened to me! However, the article is a little over the top. I mean... you can only report someone for living illegally in Japan, and it must relate to immigration.

I imagine the situation can easily get out of control, and the cost must be very high. There were no less than 2 dozen people outside of my house.

I bet my neighbors think I'm trouble. My husband actually went to the neighbors right next to us, and told them that our landlord might cause trouble. He asked them to call the police if they see any Europeans breaking into our house and fighting with me. They agreed and were actually checking in with us whenever they would leave the area. Unfortunately, they were not here when they broke into the house.

Comment

Being a cooperative gaijin, I refused to show my Visa until....
....Unfortunately, I didn't have my passport because my Visa was just up for renewal. However, I did have my gaijin card, so immigration called in my information and confirmed my newly issued 3- year Visa.

Doesn't make sense.. first you refused to show your visa (which is in your passport) then you said you had no passport available anyway? Why not? Passport is not handed in while getting visa (permission to stay) renewed...

Comment

Why the hell or how the hell would I make something like this up? I didn't even know there was a tip line.

An attorney handles my Visa renewal. As a result, he keeps my passport until the Visa is attached. There's no point in giving it to me until his job is complete. It's a waste of time since he handles the entire process, and I don't need the passport. I have since picked it up from him. However, I normally just leave it with him. I once left it there for 2 years.

Refusing to show my Visa doesn't mean anything. I wasn't going to show my gaijin card or state my name either. Would you if police surrounded your house and you had no idea why they were there? Perhaps, you would freely bend over at 7:00am and oblige for no valid reason. I wasn't going to do that. Similarly, I'm never willing & excited to give my information to them when stopped on the street either.

Your Visa can be easily confirmed with your gaijin card. Your passport number is on the card. They called it in, and confirmed the Visa over the phone. They were immigration, and can easily confirm your Visa with your gaijin card. That's why you're supposed to carry the card, and don't need to carry your passport.

Lol, at least get your facts straight before you call someone a liar because you obviously don't even know your gaijin card is a substitute for your passport/Visa when you live in Japan. I can't believe I'm explaining this.

*
If this is true?
The landlord is a gaijin. I only know his first name and it doesn't sound like Joe, although it is a common English name. Of course, I know the company too but I don't think it would be right of me to slander them on a forum. They do not advertise on Gaijin Pot. Maybe once I move, I will warn others.

Comment

I've been having problems with my landlord over the last few weeks, and immediately assumed he reported me for trespassing or possibly burglary.

Makes me wonder. Doesn't it make you wonder, too?

And, now we see this doozy:

The rent was late, and he's been a total ass about it. I told him it would be paid on payday so I don't know why he's causing all this drama. Although it's not paid in full, but it will be in the next few weeks.

Huh? Don't you make enough to pay rent? What does your husband do for a living?